How I got stronger
by Vampiczech
Summary: Sideswipe's life story. Sideswipe didn't use to be shiny, good looking warrior as we know him now. He had hard times during his life.


Annabelle Lennox as a mature teenage girl came to Autobots' base and she wanted to go out to the city with her guardian Ironhide. Unfortunately Ironhide was on special mission and Optimus Prime told her she could wait for him at the base. Annie had now plenty of time waiting for Ironhide to come back at base.

She couldn't resist but noticed the silver Autobot named Sideswipe remaining inside his quarters. Annie found him kind of mysterious Autobot since he hasn't been much of talkative one among the others, and then she decided to spend that time period of waiting in Sideswipe's presence. She wanted to meet him better because she wanted to know all Autobots in the base.

Her steps were leading inside Sideswipe's quarters which had dimmed lightning.

"Uhm, hello?" Annie asked, looking around the darkened room of Sideswipe. She proceeded deeper inside of Sideswipe's sanctuary but as much as she tried, she couldn't see Sideswipe.

"Entering somebody's room without knocking isn't sign of good manners." Sideswipe's manly adult voice sounded from above Annie as the girl was standing between his wheel legs.

"AAAH!" Annie yelped and fell down on her butt. She looked up and saw Sideswipe's bright blue optics illuminating her in the dark, "Uh… you're Sideswipe?" she asked, trying to cover her shock and standing back on her feet.

"Who else should I be? Megatron?" Sideswipe asked ironically.

"Well… you've got much potential like him to scare people…" Annie said.

"You entered my quarters without permission!" Sideswipe growled slightly and skated over to his berth. He laid himself on it and sighed wearily while looking at ceiling and rolling one of his legs on the ground.

"I'm bored…" Annie said and crossed her arms.

"Yeah? Welcome to my world then…" Sideswipe snapped out.

"What? Why don't you go and do something then?" Annie asked him.

"And why don't you go and do something as well?" Sideswipe asked the same way.

"Fair enough… hey, Sideswipe?" Annie asked.

"Hmm…" Sideswipe left, still rolling his leg on the ground.

"Why didn't we meet before?" Annie asked and Sideswipe rose himself on his berth using his elbows.

"I don't like talking to humans…" Sideswipe grumbled and sat on his berth, looking down to the ground and rolling both of his legs now.

"And why? Did I or somebody else do something wrong or what?" Annie asked.

"No, it's not about you. I just… nah, forget it!" Sideswipe said and looked elsewhere.

"You just what? Come on, tell me!" Annie shouted.

"Forget it, youngling." Sideswipe grumbled.

"No! I am bored! Tell me!" Annie insisted.

"Nope…" Sideswipe refused.

"Tell me!" She said and didn't stop, "Tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me!" she shouted at him. Now Sideswipe had enough. He ejected his blades as he transformed his arms.

"Enough!" Sideswipe growled and jumped down to Annie, threatening her by his blades above her head, "Shut up and scram before I lose my mind!" he shouted and breathed deeply, trying to control himself. Annie gazed at Sideswipe's face which was filled with fury.

"O-Oh-kay then…" she said, slowly backing away. As soon as she wasn't the target, she turned around and didn't face Sideswipe anymore. Annie was heading towards the exit and Sideswipe finally sighed of relief. He watched Annie leaving and realized what he did.

"Annabelle…" Sideswipe said and Annie stopped, "I'm sorry for that… I didn't mean to be like that. It's something I don't like to talk about…" he explained.

"I know…" Annie sighed at the entrance, not facing Sideswipe.

"Do you want to hear it…?" Sideswipe asked and Annie's head went up in excitement and surprise that Sideswipe would tell her. She turned to face Sideswipe and looked at him. Sideswipe looked at her calmly.

"Are you serious?" Annie asked.

"You better say yes now before I change my mind." Sideswipe muttered.

"Yes! I want to hear it!" Annie said quickly and rushed towards Sideswipe.

"Ok then youngling… I'll set you up on the bed so you can get comfortable because it might be a little longer." Sideswipe said and Annie nodded. He lifted her up on his berth and settled her on it. Sideswipe skated to his door to close it and quickly returned to Annie, sitting down on the ground and facing her.

"Everything started long time ago when I was born…" Sideswipe started but Annie cut him off.

"Wait, uh… how old are you by the way?" She asked.

"I'm 273, Annabelle." Sideswipe said.

"273?! Man, you're old!" Annie exclaimed.

"We're supposed to live ten times longer than humans. Just divide it by ten and you'll get my human age." Sideswipe said.

"Oh, so you're 27.3 years old… that's good to know!" She chuckled.

"Either way, it all started 273 years ago…" Sideswipe started his narration.

1742 AD – Past

Sideswipe as a little sparkling was born and he was kept in an incubation box. The little one was sleeping. Sideswipe was born with his wheels so it's no wonder he's so good with them. The medical officers had to watch over him through the window.

"Poor little sparkling…" said the Cybertronian nurse called Chromia, "Ratchet, why do we keep it alive?" she asked the medical officer who was younger Ratchet at that time. He was 479.

"We have no right to euthanize sparkling for no reason or because we are feeling sorry for it…" Ratchet answered calmly.

"But shouldn't we do an exception? He's an orphan! His creators died in war and you want him to live?!" Chromia protested.

"Mia, believe me… there is a law even in these times of war that we have to respect. I am sorry, but Sideswipe will have to live life without creators. It will be hard, there is no doubt about it, but we can do nothing for Sideswipe… we can only provide him some support." Ratchet said.

And so was it. Chromia took Sideswipe under adoption until time he was fully mature mech. Sideswipe grew up by every decade. He found his legs very complicated for him and when he used to go into school, he was target of bullies and taunts. He was called "Clumsy Wheel" because other mechs and femmes had normal legs and learned how to use them properly. Only Sideswipe was born with his skate legs and had to learn how to use them.

His mentality went down and he wanted to be normal like his mates from school. One day in his 97 years, he wanted to change everything. He was so desperate to get normal legs so he tried to cut his wheels off. Chromia returned home from hospital and she tried to find Sideswipe in her house.

"Sideswipe?" she called for him but with no response, "Sideswipe?" she called once more but then she came across the work room. A laser saw was turned on and Sideswipe lied down on the ground, energon pouring out of his legs and arms.

"Sideswipe?!" she shouted and rushed down for Sideswipe.

"Mo-mommy… it hurts…" little Sideswipe said and started to cry loudly.

"Dear Primus! Sideswipe! Why did you do this?!" Chromia tackled him.

"Those legs! I don't want those legs! I want normal legs!" Sideswipe cried still.

"You could have killed yourself!" She said but there was no time for telling off. Chromia ran for blow torch and anestetics she had. Chromia did quick action to save Sideswipe and so she injected him anestetics for him to fall asleep. Sideswipe's adoptive mother melted all the cuts and wounds together and connected all pipes. She made sure no drop of energon will leave Sideswipe's body. Sideswipe woke up later in hospital. His eyes focusing on face of Chromia above him.

"Mommy…" He said and Chromia smiled at him.

"Hello, Sideswipe. How did you sleep?" She asked.

"Mommy… everything hurts me… what happened?" Sideswipe asked.

"You little silly… if you knew how much of spark crack you brought me. What were you thinking about when you manipulated the laser saw?" Chromia asked back.

"That… those other younglings! They laugh at me! They call me clumsy wheel! I want to walk! I don't want to fall! I keep falling!" Sideswipe complained and whimpered. Chromia rubbed his little helmet and tried to calm him down.

"You need a little bit of practice with your legs, Sideswipe… You have to control them because you have them for some reason and they are natural to you. Primus knew well why were you designed like this!" Chromia told him and little Sideswipe thought of something.

"Mommy?" Sideswipe looked at Chromia.

"Yes, Sideswipe?" she asked back.

"Younglings also call me artificially made scrap! They told me I have no creators! They're not right! You're my mommy!" Sideswipe complained.

"Well… not so much actually…" Chromia started but realized that she started something Sideswipe will try to discover.

"Mommy? You're not my mommy?" Sideswipe asked and Chromia knew she had to get out of this somehow.

"Sideswipe… you have creators… they are on some travels and… and they gave you to me until they'll return…" she stuttered but nothing better came to her mind.

"Oh…" Sideswipe started, "I can't wait to meet them!" Sideswipe laughed and Chromia smiled slightly but she knew that this won't last long.

Present

"So you are an orphan?" Annie asked.

"Yes, I am…" Sideswipe said, his optics looking down and then back at Annie.

"And how long did you think you had parents?" She asked.

"Well, it lasted for more than 90 years…" Sideswipe said.

"I guess it's better to live in some lie that won't hurt you!" Annie said.

"Yeah, I thought that too until I discovered the truth later. You know, rather discover soon than realize that 180 years of your life were one big lie…" Sideswipe said.

"Oh, I see. I wouldn't ever think you had problems with legs! You are such a great with them!" Annie smiled.

"Thanks Annabelle. Well, my life changed in another 90 years…"

1930 – Past

After another nine decades of Sideswipe's life when he finally learned how to use his wheels with help of Chromia, Sideswipe became mature. He was 188 now and he got wiser and smarter. One day he arrived at Chromia's home when she was at home.

"Is that you, Sideswipe?" Chromia said as she worked with an energon supplies, putting them in the right place. Sideswipe came in the living room and soon Chromia joined him.

"Hello, Sideswipe! I missed you all the day!" Chromia greeted Sideswipe but he gave her only murderous look, "Sideswipe? Is something wrong?" she asked and Sideswipe threw a data pad on the table.

"How would you explain this?" Sideswipe said roughly and Chromia picked the data pad, reading what was on it. As she read that, she realized it was copy of Sideswipe's personal folder from Cybertronian central archives. It included everything about him and about his parents.

"Sideswipe? How did you–" she started but Sideswipe cut her off.

"Did you think I was absolutely stupid that I won't visit central archives to see my personal folder?!" Sideswipe said loudly.

"But why did you do that?" Chromia asked him.

"Me?! You're asking me why did I do that?! Ok then… I am curious! I really stopped trusting you on that lie you told me 90 years ago! I highly doubt that my creators wouldn't ever for 180 years send me anything to let me know that they are fine! Why did you lie to me, Mia?!" Sideswipe shouted.

"Swipey… I have never meant to hurt your feelings by telling you that your parents are dead! You were little youngling and I just couldn't tell you the truth!" Chromia explained.

"So you rather lied to me all my life! Is there anything else that you keep as a secret?" Sideswipe asked bitterly and Chromia sighed.

"I wanted you to suffer the least… when you were born, I suggested for your euthanasia…" Chromia said hardly.

"You… wanted me dead…?" Sideswipe frowned.

"Sideswipe, please!" Chromia pleaded and grabbed his arm but Sideswipe kicked Chromia away.

"Enough! I have enough of your lies!" Sideswipe breathed deeply and watched as Chromia tried to stand up. He saw what he did and turned not to face her, "I'm leaving…" he finished.

"Sideswipe… no! Please… ouch! Where do you want to stay?!" Chromia asked, feeling the pain.

"I know I don't want to stay here!" Sideswipe said and left the house shutting the door behind him loudly. Chromia fell in sorrowful cry and Sideswipe left with nothing to live with. From now on, Sideswipe started living life of a beggar. He became homeless man and to survive, for another 43 years he did everything to get some fuel and temporary housing. According to this, Sideswipe was able to sell himself for other mechs just for their sexual desires. Some of mechs were nice to him, but some others were eager to make themselves better not paying attention to Sideswipe's capability.

One mech, Decepticon named Bruticus picked Sideswipe in the street and offered him fuel and berth just for their interfacing. Bruticus threw Sideswipe in his own berth and without any rituals showed Sideswipe who's the boss there. He pinned Sideswipe to his bed and started thrusting deep in him. Sideswipe's port was getting exercises every time he was doing that. For more pleasure of his master, he moaned in between pain and pleasure of himself.

"You little scrap! Give me that port so I can feed it!" Bruticus growled and pulled Sideswipe's butt closer to himself so he pounded him easier. Bruticus was kneeling on the berth and poor Sideswipe tried to hold himself from screaming. He had his head wrapped under the blanket.

"Don't try to hide your cute face from me!" Bruticus said and made Sideswipe to lay on his back while he inserted his spike in Sideswipe's port again. Sideswipe could feel how his port got wider each time and Bruticus saw Sideswipe's spastic expressions in face. The Decepticon leaned forward at Sideswipe while he thrusted deep inside of his port. He approached his audio and mumbled something in deep tone.

"Wrap those cute wheels of yours around me… come on boy, give your master a hug!" Bruticus said with devilish chuckle and Sideswipe's face was heated up the way his face plates became red. Because Sideswipe was defenseless, he obeyed Bruticus' wish and wrapped the legs around his waist. Sideswipe couldn't help himself but only release steam out of his mouth feeling how Bruticus became much more eager in thrusting.

"S-Slow… down!" Sideswipe tried to push Bruticus off but Bruticus was bigger, stronger and he was also Decepticon. Sideswipe was only thin little teenage boy who was on the bottom against the Decepticon, "A-A-Ah!" he moaned as Bruticus climaxed oil inside his port. Hot stream of oil was filling Sideswipe's port and Sideswipe was only arousing the Decepticon more by his struggling. Bruticus left Sideswipe be on the berth and left the room without any other word.

And this was Sideswipe's life after he left Chromia's house. It didn't have to be like this but Sideswipe never changed his mind and was stubborn always. Even it hurt him very bad, he never changed his mind because he was young and self-confident, thinking everything he did was right. His life continued like this until one day something changed inside him. He was waiting for another Decepticon to come for him on the street and he noticed Ratchet standing on the other side of the street.

Ratchet was 720 years old, getting older but he got wiser and his memory still served him well. He never forgot about Sideswipe. He noticed him as well when he stopped on the other side of the street. Sideswipe and Ratchet gazed at each other. Sideswipe with wonder, Ratchet with curiousness. Sideswipe was snapped out of his thoughts when the Decepticon touched his shoulder. He looked up to him and his jaw opened in surprise as he saw how the Decepticon was big.

"Surprised, little buy mech?" The Decepticon named Tarn asked and Sideswipe froze on place. He didn't know what to say but Tarn put his hand on Sideswipe's back, pushing him forward slightly. Sideswipe looked at Ratchet for the last time and then walked along with Tarn towards his housing. Ratchet was watching Sideswipe leaving with frown on his face. Sideswipe didn't have a good feeling about this Decepticon. He was way too big for him and he was rightfully afraid of him.

"AAAARGH!" Sideswipe screamed in Tarn's house while Tarn tried to penetrate his port. This was something Sideswipe was not used to. He picked up a wrong mech for this because he wasn't trained for spike of his size, "GRAAH!" He kept shouting.

"Shut up!" Tarn silenced him while he grounded Sideswipe to the floor and held his face against it. It was whole another level of torture.

"NAAAAH! PLEASE! Make it stop! I can't take anymore!" Sideswipe pleaded for mercy but Tarn grabbed his head and smashed Sideswipe's face against the floor.

"You better stay silent if you want to survive, scrap!" Tarn growled and Sideswipe faced the floor. He couldn't express any sign of feeling pain because Tarn would kill him. That was even bigger torture. Poor Sideswipe started to cry silently. Stream of coolant was leaving his optics and dropped on the ground. Tarn was stuffing his big spike inside little port of Sideswipe.

"Hrrrrrngh!" Tarn growled and penetrated Sideswipe completely and climaxed, but for big price. Sideswipe's little port couldn't stand the extension and cracked. Sideswipe, even he felt hellish pain, merely sobbed, "You little wimp… I should have chosen better buy mech than amateur like you!" Tarn tackled Sideswipe.

"I'm s-sorry… forgive me… please!" Sideswipe persistently tried to apologize to Tarn with sign of fear inside his voice box.

"Get out of my sight!" Tarn grumbled strictly.

"Mercy! Master! I have nowhere… nowhere to go!" Sideswipe said trying to push back crying.

"I DON'T CARE! SCRAM!" Tarn grabbed Sideswipe by his neck and threw him out of his window. Badly injured Sideswipe now experienced trauma.

Present

"Whoa… Sideswipe, I wouldn't ever guess that you–" Annabelle was cut by Sideswipe.

"Sell myself as a buy mech for other mech's pleasure?" Sideswipe asked and sighed, "Yes… I was desperate for fuel and house. This was when I stopped trusting others around me…" he said.

"And so that's the reason why you don't like to talk with others?" Annie asked.

"Yeah, pretty much… well, Annabelle, is that everything you wanted to hear?" Sideswipe asked.

"Yeah… kind of but you know, when you started, you have to finish the story. I want to hear it till the end!" Annie smiled and Sideswipe sighed again.

"You insist, fine… After Tarn maimed me, life sucked for me…" Sideswipe continued in his narration.

1973 – Past

Sideswipe's life didn't change into better state after he hobbled out of the place where Tarn threw him at. Sideswipe lived using his body as a sexual toy, but now when he was maimed with his port being cracked, he didn't feel like he wanted to continue with it because he knew that Cybertronians don't want a cripple or a whiney baby. He also sensed that each time somebody would try to penetrate his port, it would get only worse.

Sideswipe was 231 now and he was on the edge of mental and physical collapse. He never came back to Chromia because he was still mad for his life being big lie. He had no meaning of life to live for but yet he didn't want to die. He wanted to survive and become strong so he tried to prove himself how he's strong by refusing the attacks of others. Sideswipe lived on street, rust was spreading all over his body and he was wearing some tattered cloth to hide it.

Cybertron also experienced season changings and Sideswipe had to be ready for incoming winter. Nobody was there for him, nobody tried to help him. Sideswipe was completely alone and when cold winter came, he only had to survive nights in between streets, covering himself with some more cloth and recharging on the cold ground, curled up between garbage, trying to warm himself up. Every night he used to cry to relieve some of that sadness he carried.

One night, however, Sideswipe lied in the street and he stared at the moon while somebody blocked his view. He covered his mouth to hide his shame.

"It's really sad to see you like this…" the mech said and Sideswipe uncovered his face.

"What… what do you want from me… mister?" Sideswipe asked humbly.

"Sideswipe…" the mech said and approached him. The shadow silhouette drew high mech with blue and red paintjob on his armor plates. Sideswipe started to draw backwards from him.

"How do you know my name?" Sideswipe asked frightened.

"I know a lot about you. I was watching you for a while and I was testing if you are strong enough…" the mech said.

"I… I am strong! I can prove it! Maybe I am not so tall or big but I can be fast! I can also be a good servant!" Sideswipe begged, he scuttled to the mech using his knees, "Please, mister! Take me with you! I can be useful if you give me a chance!" Sideswipe pleaded. Desperation, hunger, fatigue and sadness in his optics were significant, "I want you to become my master! I need master! I can't keep on living like this! Take me with you, please!" Sideswipe said, trying to resist crying.

He hugged legs of the mech tightly, "Damn it! I'm sorry, mister! I just can't go on like this!" Sideswipe sobbed. Each of his moves made sounds of rust.

"Sideswipe…" the mech started. Sideswipe looked up at his face and the mech looked down at Sideswipe's face, "You are not supposed to be a slave…" the mech said and kneeled down to Sideswipe's eye level, "You are sentient being, and every sentient being has the right of freedom." The mech added.

"But I have no other choice than just to be the slave! I don't know where to go! I have nowhere to live and-" Sideswipe said but was cut off as the mech put hand on Sideswipe's mouth.

"No, Sideswipe… You came through a lot of unpleasant experiences and I think you've suffered enough. It doesn't have meaning to suffer when you have nothing to suffer for." The mech said and Sideswipe sighed, rubbing the coolant off his face.

"Then give me the sense of life! I want to be useful!" Sideswipe whispered and the mech smiled. He pointed at Sideswipe's legs.

"Those legs…" he said and Sideswipe looked at his wheels, "You are unique, Sideswipe. Nobody was born with wheels on his legs. You might be fast and agile. That's something very needed on the battle field…" the mech said.

"Battle field…? Who… who are you?" Sideswipe asked hoarsely.

"My name is Optimus Prime." He answered.

"P-P-Prime…?!" Sideswipe stuttered.

"The great evil of my brother Megatron rises in his Decepticon army. I am leader of Autobots' resistance and I need warriors to defeat them because I can't do it alone! Sideswipe, I want you to join Autobots' army!" Optimus said while putting both servos on Sides' shoulders and putting the tattered cloth out of his back. Sideswipe looked at Optimus for a while but then he looked down.

"But I am no warrior… I might be fast but I can't offer anything else…" Sideswipe said but Optimus shook with him.

"Put yourself together, mech! You are young and durable! If you become an Autobot, you will gain family and friends. You will fight side by side with your comrades who will never let you down on the battle field! You will fight for liberty against tyranny of Decepticons and habitants of Cybertron will show you respect as to their savior!" Optimus explained, looking at Sideswipe's bright blue optics. Sideswipe was not sure what to say but then he found himself on Optimus' chest.

"Huh…?" Sideswipe wondered why he felt pressed against massive chest of Optimus, "O-Optimus?" Sideswipe asked, not sure why did he do that.

"There is no need for you to suffer anymore, Sideswipe. We will teach you everything. You'll get weapons and skills to fight. And mainly, you'll get place where you belong, friend." Optimus said soothingly. Sideswipe put his own servos around Optimus as well, embracing him back.

"Optimus I… I don't know what to say…" Sideswipe said, another wave of coolant running from his optics.

"Don't say anything, Sideswipe. I don't need any other words to understand…" Optimus said and Sideswipe cried at Optimus' chest. Tears of sadness and sorrow were replaced with tears of happiness and relief. Soon Optimus helped Sideswipe to stand up, holding him by his chest, "There, there, Sideswipe. Everything will be fine. Come! Let's go to your new home."

"Thank you, Optimus. Thank you!" Sideswipe showed his gratitude and Optimus helped Sideswipe to walk away. Sideswipe officially stopped being beggar and buy mech. He joined the Autobots' army, gained home, fuel, berth, family and friends.

Present

"Hmm?" Sideswipe wondered, "Annabelle? You… cry?" He asked and Annie nodded.

"That was one of those touching stories I don't like because they always hit me right into the feelings!" Annabelle said and Sideswipe smiled, "Sideswipe?" She asked.

"Yes?" He reacted.

"What happened with Chromia?" Annie asked but before Sideswipe started to talk, somebody else joined the conversation.

"Chromia joined the Autobots' army before Sideswipe joined us." Optimus said, standing in the doorway.

"Oh? So she's here? And how are you getting on with each other?" Annabelle asked.

"Mia became my adoptive mother and I realized she was the best mother I could have ever asked for. Once she was at base I was happy to reconcile with her." Sideswipe smiled and stood up, "Optimus? May I?" Sideswipe asked and Optimus let him go through the door. Annie climbed down the berth and ran to the door to see what was Sideswipe going to do.

"What is he doing, Optimus?" Annie asked.

"Watch closely, youngling." He answered. Sideswipe came up to Chromia, tapping her shoulder as she turned back to face him.

"Oh? Sideswipe? What are you…?" Chromia asked and Sideswipe pulled Chromia in for a hug, "Sideswipe? Why so sudden?" she asked.

"That is for everything you have done for me, Mia. I know you're not my creator but I like you the same way. Without you, I wouldn't find happiness of sparkling in my life what you gave me. I like you, mother! Thank you and Ironhide for giving me the best things in my life!" Sideswipe said.

"Oh, Sides. You're welcome, my still little Sideswipe!" She said and hugged Sideswipe back.

"Hmm? Optimus? Why did he mention Ironhide?" Annie asked him.

"When Sideswipe arrived at base in his horrible state, everybody helped him. Ratchet fixed his cracked port, Mia provided him cleaning of all the rust he had. Sideswipe was cared to gain self-confidence and when he met Ironhide, he knew that Hide will be hard companion on battle field. Hide has no mercy with his enemies, neither with his companions. Sideswipe got intensive training from Ironhide and even there were hard times between them, he somehow incremented to Hide's spark."

Optimus said and Annie smiled. Ironhide was entering the base and Annie noticed him.

"Hide is here!" Annie said, "Thanks for your time, Optimus and tell Sideswipe the same, please!" She said, running to Hide and entering his car mode.

"Hey, Hidey!" Annie greeted Hide.

"Hey little Ann, how were you today?" Hide said and started to drive back out of the base.

"Oh, I just listened to Sideswipe's story and realized how much you like him!" she chuckled.

"What the… hey! We are soldiers! There is no possibility I would be soft on my comrades!" Hide grumbled and they left. Optimus watched it and then looked back at Sideswipe who was leaving somewhere in base with Chromia.

"Well, Sideswipe. I am getting old in my 1411 years and yet it feels like yesterday when we met in that street, friend! You changed so much. Even you are trying to be tough I can still see reflection of that little sparkling you used to be when you smile." Optimus smiled, thinking his words.

The end.


End file.
